The core problem with this article is that pubbies across the ideological spectrum lost their seats. As I recall, Chaffee was in favor of shamnesty, and he lost. Meanwhile, several of the Dem candidates who won took very tough positions against illegal immigration. As the article noted, hispanics were not large factor in most of the key races. So how could they have had an impact in swinging control of the House and Senate.
And his opponent Whitehosue was against it(nope).
The reason Chaffee lost is that Rhode Island decided to go with the real liberal, as they are a liberal state.